For many years, Orthodox Christians in the Midland-Odessa area had to travel to San Angelo, Lubbock or Abilene for worship. Since October 2008, weekly services have been happening in Odessa at the Westminster Presbyterian Church (whom we thank for the generous loan of their facility). We began with 8 and have grown to about 30 souls currently. Most of us are American converts, but we have cradle members of Syrian, Ukrainian, and Egyptian ancestry. All are welcome.

In January 2009, His Grace Bishop Basil of the Diocese of Wichita and Mid-America sent us the Very Rev. Fr. Michael Keiser to celebrate our first Divine Liturgy and become our pastor. Fr. Michael lives in Florida, but serves several mission start-ups for the Department of Missions and Evangelism of the Antiochian Archdiocese.

He is now coming about one Sunday a month to celebrate Orthros (matins/morning prayers) and the Divine Liturgy (the Holy Eucharist). He hears confessions during Orthros.

On other Sundays we serve Great Vespers (evening prayers), led by Reader Mark and/or Subdeacon Mark. Our choir director is Anne Spires. Our services are all in English, with occasional tidbits in the more common languages of Orthodox lands.

We are looking forward to the time when we are able to rent or own a meeting place of our own, and ultimately build a traditional church temple. We also hope to have a resident priest someday, by God's mercy.